Recommended GNOME Shell font settings

Font settings can be changed using gnome-tweak-tool. I recommend “DejaVu Sans Book” for the interface and “DejaVu Sans Mono Book” for monospace. These fonts render well on Linux and include a large number of Unicode characters. Use “Slight” hinting and “Rgba” anti-aliasing for LCD monitors.

In addition create the file $HOME/.config/fontconfig/fonts.conf and run the command fc-cache:

OpenJDK with patches

The default JDK used for rendering NetBeans can be set in the NetBeans installation directory in file “netbeans-8.2/etc/netbeans.conf”:

netbeans_jdkhome="/home/stephen/Apps/openjdk-jetbrains"

Also in netbeans.conf add the following to netbeans_default_options:

-J-Dswing.aatext=TRUE -J-Dawt.useSystemAAFontSettings=on

NetBeans font settings

In NetBeans Options→Fonts & Colors be sure to select “Monospace” to avoid a bug where Japanese characters are not rendered.

For my taste the default line spacing is too big. To match the line spacing used by Sublime Text edit the file $HOME/.netbeans/8.2/config/Editors/Preferences/org-netbeans-modules-editor-settings-CustomPreferences.xml and add the lines:

At first I was worried about installing Windows 10 on my aging Sony VPCEH2P0E laptop because of Intel's stated position that they did not support the HD3000 chipset for that version of Windows.

The drivers available via Windows Update (version 9.17.10.4459 dated 2016-05-19) run great and I have not experienced any issues.

I have upgraded a few parts since the initial purchase: 8GB RAM, 500GB SSD and a 5GHz WiFi dongle. This is still a very useful machine and Windows 10 seems to perform better than the original Windows 7 install.

Thursday, 4 August 2016

Sunday, 26 June 2016

You have to regard the success of the Leave campaign as being an endorsement of the democratic process.

A group of people keen for the UK to leave the EU form a single issue
political party (UKIP) and campaign and stand for election. Despite
being (sometimes) represented and supported by loons and fruitcakes
their candidates, over time, succeed in winning local, parliamentary and
European elections.

They use this power base and links with Eurosceptic groups within the Conservative Party to pressure the Government into agreeing to a referendum on a UK exit from the EU.

Despite the massed ranks of the political elite, business leaders, the
media, foreign heads of state and assorted celebrity gobshites they
succeeded in winning the required share of the vote agreed to by all
parties prior to the vote taking place.

The correct way for any group to achieve its aims in a democratic society, no?